VIA foot-dragging holding up repairs
BY LEXI BAINAS, THE CITIZEN AUGUST 9, 2013
The Island Corridor Foundation and its supporters are longingly staring at $20 million dollars to upgrade Vancouver Island’s rail lines that is sitting just out of reach, all because VIA Rail won’t come to the negotiating table.
And VIA Rail says it won’t come to the table because the ICF hasn’t upgraded the rail lines.
Frustration is the name of the game and it needs to stop soon, according to Graham Bruce, executive director for the Foundation.
“We’re looking to try and achieve some kind of agreement by the end of August,” he said Wednesday.
“The $20 million from the federal, provincial and regional governments was all contingent on a train service agreement with VIA Rail. It is the difference between rail continuing or not on Vancouver Island,” he said.
The problem is that VIA is not answering requests for talks leading to an agreement.
But, in an answer to a specific question at the VIA public annual general meeting in May, the VIA board replied, “VIA Rail had to stop service along this route because the tracks were deemed unsafe both by VIA as well as other authorities. We stated at the time that we would resume service as soon as the track was brought back to safe operating standards and that is still our intent. The parties involved have the ability to restart the transservice agreement that was in place at the time. However, if that train service agreement needs to be modified in any way, it will require resources that VIA Rail does not have at this time.”
However, the ICF has other ideas and wants to talk and Bruce is concerned about what could be described as disrespectful treatment from VIA.
“I would say so, when you consider it was as a result of a telephone conference call and a letter by VIA to Southern Rail and ourselves suggesting that maybe we would like to be creative and look at an alternate proposal and totally set our minds to that and develop a very creative train service proposal for VIA and send it to them just about the end of the first week of April.
“I think in a respectful way, whether you agree with it or not, you should at least reply to it in a decent period of time. That is just unacceptable,” he said.
Bruce is still hopeful but wants to sit down at a table with VIA.
“I believe there is a way to accomplish all of this. What the ICF is looking for is for VIA to sit down with our rail operator Southern Rail and conclude this new train service agreement,” he said.
It’s frustrating for ICF officials who have done their part.
“It’s not complicated. We really feel they need to apply themselves at this instant.”
Bruce said he is also hoping that the public can step up, as they have in the past, and inundate both government and VIA with letters calling for speedy action.
Information on how to get involved is available on the Island Corridor Foundation website, islandrail.ca by clicking on VIA Rail Negotiations.
This gambit has been tried before by the ICF.
“It happened spectacularly well with the issue of raising the infrastructure funding. It’s taken a lot of effort to put together that $20 million package. For this last piece, we’re hopeful that the same level of buzz can be created, that people will respond with writing to those officials,” Bruce said.
Waiting is hard on everyone as seen by online comments from supporters.
“We’re so close to putting this all together. They really need to come to the table,” Bruce said.
“We’re all ready to begin [working on the infrastructure and rail bed repairs] but this VIA Rail agreement is required to release the infrastructure funding. We have $20 million but we can’t start to work until we have a VIA agreement.”
Service on the rail line was discontinued about two years ago due to the poor condition of the tracks and rail bed, leaving the well-known Dayliner and its prospective passengers languishing and sidetracking any plans for a new-style commuter service between up-Island points and the Victoria area.
And VIA Rail says it won’t come to the table because the ICF hasn’t upgraded the rail lines.
Frustration is the name of the game and it needs to stop soon, according to Graham Bruce, executive director for the Foundation.
“We’re looking to try and achieve some kind of agreement by the end of August,” he said Wednesday.
“The $20 million from the federal, provincial and regional governments was all contingent on a train service agreement with VIA Rail. It is the difference between rail continuing or not on Vancouver Island,” he said.
The problem is that VIA is not answering requests for talks leading to an agreement.
But, in an answer to a specific question at the VIA public annual general meeting in May, the VIA board replied, “VIA Rail had to stop service along this route because the tracks were deemed unsafe both by VIA as well as other authorities. We stated at the time that we would resume service as soon as the track was brought back to safe operating standards and that is still our intent. The parties involved have the ability to restart the transservice agreement that was in place at the time. However, if that train service agreement needs to be modified in any way, it will require resources that VIA Rail does not have at this time.”
However, the ICF has other ideas and wants to talk and Bruce is concerned about what could be described as disrespectful treatment from VIA.
“I would say so, when you consider it was as a result of a telephone conference call and a letter by VIA to Southern Rail and ourselves suggesting that maybe we would like to be creative and look at an alternate proposal and totally set our minds to that and develop a very creative train service proposal for VIA and send it to them just about the end of the first week of April.
“I think in a respectful way, whether you agree with it or not, you should at least reply to it in a decent period of time. That is just unacceptable,” he said.
Bruce is still hopeful but wants to sit down at a table with VIA.
“I believe there is a way to accomplish all of this. What the ICF is looking for is for VIA to sit down with our rail operator Southern Rail and conclude this new train service agreement,” he said.
It’s frustrating for ICF officials who have done their part.
“It’s not complicated. We really feel they need to apply themselves at this instant.”
Bruce said he is also hoping that the public can step up, as they have in the past, and inundate both government and VIA with letters calling for speedy action.
Information on how to get involved is available on the Island Corridor Foundation website, islandrail.ca by clicking on VIA Rail Negotiations.
This gambit has been tried before by the ICF.
“It happened spectacularly well with the issue of raising the infrastructure funding. It’s taken a lot of effort to put together that $20 million package. For this last piece, we’re hopeful that the same level of buzz can be created, that people will respond with writing to those officials,” Bruce said.
Waiting is hard on everyone as seen by online comments from supporters.
“We’re so close to putting this all together. They really need to come to the table,” Bruce said.
“We’re all ready to begin [working on the infrastructure and rail bed repairs] but this VIA Rail agreement is required to release the infrastructure funding. We have $20 million but we can’t start to work until we have a VIA agreement.”
Service on the rail line was discontinued about two years ago due to the poor condition of the tracks and rail bed, leaving the well-known Dayliner and its prospective passengers languishing and sidetracking any plans for a new-style commuter service between up-Island points and the Victoria area.
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